Executive Chef Timber and Tide

Compass Group; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance/ AD

Disability Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Holiday Time Off

Associate Shopping Program

Health and Wellness Programs

Discount Marketplace

Identity Theft Protection

Pet Insurance

Commuter Benefits

Employee Assistance Program

FSAs

Paid Parental Leave

Personal Leave

Job summary

Bon Appetit Management Company seeks an Executive Chef to lead all culinary operations for a chef‑driven coastal concept in San Francisco. The role oversees a fully electric kitchen, develops seasonal menus, and delivers an elevated guest experience through innovative cuisine and high‑volume events.

The successful candidate will balance menu innovation with financial performance, mentor a small culinary team, and collaborate closely with front‑of‑house leadership to ensure impeccable service.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive culinary leadership experience at an upscale or chef-driven concept.
• Proven success in kitchen operations, menu development, and culinary teams.
• P&L management experience including food cost, labor, budgeting, and inventory.

Responsibilities

• Lead culinary operations for a single restaurant location with ~$1.1M annual revenue.
• Direct day-to-day kitchen execution, ensuring quality, sanitation, and presentation.
• Design seasonal menus featuring coastal-inspired and plant-forward cuisine.
• Develop passed apps, event menus, and culinary activations for private dining and events.
• Manage food production in a fully electric kitchen, prioritizing safety and efficiency.
• Recruit, train, and develop a culinary team of ~5 cooks.
• Establish prep, production, and service standards for dining and events.
• Monitor food cost, labor, purchasing, and inventory to protect profitability.
• Analyze financial results and improve margins while maintaining quality.
• Source ingredients from local vendors to support seasonal menu development.
• Ensure health department regulations and sanitation standards are met.
• Collaborate with front-of-house leadership for seamless guest experiences.
• Lead tastings, training, and culinary presentations to engage the team.
• Foster hospitality, creativity, and operational excellence across the kitchen.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Executive Chef experience

Menu development

P&L management

Private events experience

Plant-based cooking

Leadership & team building

Sanitation & safety

Job description

Salary: 80,000-100,000

Other Forms of Compensation:

Our Passion is Food! At Bon Appetit Management Company we are committed to two things, great food and outstanding service! At Bon Appetit you won't find our managers referring to a corporate recipe book or our chefs microwaving the lunch special. We do not have standardized recipes or central commissaries, instead, our chefs and managers are expected to stay abreast of current culinary trends and bring cutting edge food into their cafes. We are a restaurant company that operates in contract food service. That means you will have the freedom to be creative, take risks, and truly shine. We are committed to our staff growing, trying new things, and learning all that they can. Our rapid growth and breadth of accounts translates into exciting opportunities for our people!

Job Summary

Timber & Tides is seeking a passionate, creative, and hands‑on Executive Chef to lead all culinary operations for our chef‑driven coastal concept in San Francisco. This leadership role is responsible for overseeing a fully electric kitchen, developing seasonally inspired menus, executing a robust private events program, and delivering an exceptional guest experience through innovative, ingredient‑focused cuisine.

The Executive Chef will serve as both a culinary visionary and operational leader, balancing menu innovation with financial performance, team development, and flawless execution. This position is ideal for a chef who thrives in a collaborative environment, embraces sustainability and plant‑forward cooking, and has a talent for creating memorable dining experiences through elevated restaurant service and high‑volume events.

Responsibilities

• Lead all culinary operations for a single restaurant location with approximately $1.1M in annual revenue.
• Direct day‑to‑day kitchen execution, ensuring consistency, quality, sanitation, and presentation standards are upheld at all times.
• Design and execute seasonal menus that showcase coastal‑inspired cuisine, plant‑based offerings, and market‑driven ingredients.
• Develop creative passed appetizers, event menus, tasting experiences, and special culinary activations that support the restaurant's private dining and events business.
• Manage all food production within a fully electric kitchen environment while maintaining efficiency, safety, and operational excellence.
• Recruit, train, coach, and develop a culinary team of approximately five cooks, fostering a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Establish prep, production, and service standards that support both à la carte dining and event execution.
• Maintain responsibility for food cost, labor management, purchasing, inventory controls, and overall kitchen profitability.
• Analyze financial results and implement strategies to improve margins while preserving food quality and guest satisfaction.
• Build and maintain relationships with local vendors and purveyors to source high‑quality ingredients and support seasonal menu development.
• Ensure compliance with all health department regulations, food safety programs, and sanitation standards.
• Collaborate closely with front‑of‑house leadership to deliver a seamless and elevated guest experience.
• Lead menu tastings, training sessions, and culinary presentations to support team engagement and menu knowledge.
• Drive a culture of hospitality, professionalism, creativity, and operational excellence throughout the kitchen.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive culinary leadership experience, including Executive Chef or Executive Sous Chef experience in an upscale restaurant, coastal seafood concept, chef‑driven establishment, or fine dining environment.
• Proven success leading kitchen operations, menu development, and culinary teams.
• Strong experience with menu writing, recipe development, costing, and culinary innovation.
• Demonstrated P&L management experience, including food cost control, labor management, forecasting, budgeting, and inventory processes.
• Experience executing private events, receptions, cocktail functions, and passed hors d'oeuvres programs.
• Knowledge of plant‑forward and plant‑based culinary techniques with the ability to develop creative, guest‑focused offerings.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and team‑building skills with a commitment to developing culinary talent.
• Excellent organizational and time‑management skills with the ability to balance daily operations and special events.
• ServSafe Certification or ability to obtain upon hire.
• Passion for seasonal ingredients, sustainability, hospitality, and creating memorable dining experiences.
• Availability to work a flexible schedule based on business needs, with primary operations occurring Monday through Friday.

Bon Appetit is a member of Compass Group USA.

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Life Insurance/ AD
• Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
• Associate Shopping Program
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Discount Marketplace
• Identity Theft Protection
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Personal Leave

Associates may also be eligible for paid and/unpaid time off benefits in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

https://www.compass-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023_WageTransparency_BAMCO.pdf

Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York Fair Chance Act.

Certain positions may require Florida Level 2 background screening. Details: https://info.flclearinghouse.com/

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Bon Appetit maintains a drug‑free workplace.